The Museum of the Bible in Washington DC opened in November 2017. Fortunately, I had the opportunity to tour this new museum. It is truly amazing! There is a lot going on in the Museum of the Bible. It certainly is much more than a museum full of old Bibles. (Although, there are a lot of them.)
It is easy to get to the Museum of the Bible. We took the subway. The Federal Center Metro Station is steps from the museum, and the L’Enfant Plaza Metro Station is only a few blocks away.
There is no fee for visiting the Museum of the Bible, but visitors are encouraged to give a donation since the museum is privately funded. Note: There are some extra experiences at the MOTB for which they do charge a fee.
9 Tips for Touring the Museum of the Bible
1. Allocate more time.
We arrived at 1:30. The museum closed at 5:00. It was not nearly enough time to experience the MOTB. I really wished that I’d had a whole day to spend here.
2. Look up!
I knew I was in for a real treat as soon as I entered the museum. Walking through the Grand Hall, be sure to look up and see the spectacular ceiling!
3. Try to find your name.
The wall of names is a fun little detail in the museum. All of the names in the Bible are listed on one wall. Maybe your name is in the Bible.
4. Check out Courageous Pages.
If you have small children, Courageous Pages is an area especially for kids. It is a great place for kids to play and work out some wiggles.
5. Ride the elevator.
The MOTB has a central staircase leading to the exhibits. But, be sure and take the elevator a few times to see the changing scenes inside.
6. Take the virtual reality tour.
One of the paid exhibits in the Museum of the Bible is a virtual reality tour of Bible lands. In my opinion, it was worth the extra fee.
7. Don’t miss the Hebrew Bible Experience.
The Old Testament production is a high point, so plan accordingly. Upon entering the Museum of the Bible, we were advised to do this first as it can become crowded. It is truly is amazing. The downside of doing that first was my kiddo then expected the entire museum to have that same WOW factor.
8. Prepare to be amazed by all of the Bibles.
Of course, there are lots of Bibles in the Museum of the Bible. However, many are very intricate and/or historically significant. This is an area where I wished I had more time to appreciate all of the detail.
9. Imagine Yourself in the World of Jesus of Nazareth.
This area provides a glimpse of what life was like during the time of Jesus. There are periodic demonstrations along with artifacts from this era.
It is hard to decide how to allocate your vacation time in Washington DC. For most of us, our time in the nation’s capital is limited. Regardless, I recommend spending as much time as you can fit in your schedule in the Museum of the Bible. I wish I had been able to spend a whole day at this truly unique museum. Hopefully, I’ll have the opportunity to return and do just that!
Planning a trip to Washington DC? Check out 15 Things to Do in Washington DC and How to See the Washington Monuments.
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